Scaling Magic Items

Sometimes an inherited weapon turns out to be more powerful than it had seemed at first, and the hero refuses to give it up even when given the option of flashier blades or when facing overwhelming foes. Scaling items are magic items that grow with your character and unlock new special abilities as she levels up. This section presents numerous examples of scaling items to add to your games.

Typically, player characters find themselves buying and selling magic items as they gain levels to keep up with the increasing threats they face. Items come and go from each character’s inventory with such frequency that they hardly have the chance to impact the game’s story. Scaling items, however, increase in power along with the characters who carry them, allowing an old and cherished item to develop and retain its utility rather than being sold and forgotten.

Scaling items work like normal magic items, but they gain new powers as their wielders gain levels, and their existing powers sometimes also improve. Additional item powers appear in a scaling magic item’s entry with a header indicating the character level at which they unlock.

The caster level of the item scales up as well. A scaling item’s effective caster level is its listed caster level or the character level of its wielder, whichever is higher, to a maximum of the item’s highest-level ability. For instance, if an item has a base caster level of 5th and additional abilities at 7th and 9th levels, it’s treated as caster level 8th in the hands of an 8th-level character, but is treated as only caster level 9th in the hands of a 10th-level character.

Each scaling item has a base price that represents its value to a character whose level is equal to or less than the item’s caster level. As the item’s caster level increases in the hands of a more powerful character, the item’s value increases as well. The values of such items fall into three categories (baubles, prizes, and wonders), which indicate the rough percentage of the character’s wealth a scaling item represents.

The weakest items, baubles, represent 5% of a PC’s character wealth at her level and can be compared to consumable magic items (even though baubles aren’t destroyed by use). Items in the middle category, prizes, represent 15% of a PC’s suggested wealth and correspond to magic items of moderate power. An item of the most valuable category, wonders, represents 30% of a PC’s suggested wealth and corresponds to a major magic item, such as a fighter’s most beloved and powerful sword. Wonders exceed the normal cost assumptions of the game at their highest level. Such items approach the power of minor artifacts, though they’re not indestructible and can still be created normally.

Adjusting Treasure

Since scaling items improve as characters level up, they effectively add wealth to their owners over time. To balance this out, the Gamemaster should reduce treasure awards in proportion to how many scaling items the party has. This can be done per character or for the whole group, as described below. Note that the original level and price of a scaling item don’t matter once the character’s level exceeds the minimum caster level of the item, since the item accrues value based on its category (bauble, prize, or wonder), not on its original price. The adjustments to treasure awards are the same for all items in a category.

Table: Value of Scaling Items

Level

Bauble (5%)

Prize (15%)

Wonder (30%)

1st

15 gp

45 gp

90 gp

2nd

50 gp

150 gp

300 gp

3rd

150 gp

450 gp

900 gp

4th

300 gp

900 gp

1,800 gp

5th

525 gp

1,575 gp

3,150 gp

6th

800 gp

2,400 gp

4,800 gp

7th

1,175 gp

3,525 gp

7,050 gp

8th

1,650 gp

4,950 gp

9,900 gp

9th

2,300 gp

6,900 gp

13,800 gp

10th

3,100 gp

9,300 gp

18,600 gp

11th

4,100 gp

12,300 gp

24,600 gp

12th

5,400 gp

16,200 gp

32,400 gp

13th

7,000 gp

21,000 gp

42,000 gp

14th

9,250 gp

27,750 gp

55,500 gp

15th

12,000 gp

36,000 gp

72,000 gp

16th

15,750 gp

47,250 gp

94,500 gp

17th

20,500 gp

61,500 gp

129,000 gp

18th

26,500 gp

79,500 gp

159,000 gp

19th

34,250 gp

102,750 gp

205,500 gp

20th

44,000 gp

132,000 gp

264,000 gp

Per Character: If you apply the scaling item treasure reduction for each character, do so after dividing up shares of treasure for the characters. Reduce the treasure received by a character with a scaling item by the percentage listed for the item’s category (5% for baubles, 15% for prizes, and 30% for wonders). If the character has multiple scaling items, combine the percentages before adjusting the amount of treasure. For example, a PC with a wonder and a prize would receive 45% less treasure, because the PC has effectively already received that amount of treasure in the form of the items’ increased values. Since the value of a scaling item is based on wealth for an entire level, apply this adjustment to every treasure allotment the character receives. If you’d prefer to keep the adjustments more tied to the game world, you can instead replace the character’s lost treasure share with a magical substance that must be used to increase the power of scaling items. This might be magical residue, vibrant crystals, or spellbook-style pages of magical phrases that increase the item’s power. In any case, this substance should be treated as almost worthless to sell, and therefore useful only for upgrading scaling items.

Group Basis: You can use the scaling items of the whole party to adjust treasure. This implementation works best if all or most of the characters possess scaling items, and no character possesses a far higher number than the others. This method has the advantage of hiding behind the scenes, requiring no in-game justification. Add up the percentages of all scaling items owned by all PCs. Divide this percentage by the number of PCs, and reduce the total value of treasure the party finds by that percentage before dividing it among the characters. For example, if a group of four PCs have between them one bauble, three prizes, and a wonder, their treasure is reduced by 20% (80% divided by 4).

Maximum Level

Many scaling items unlock new powers all the way up to 20th level. Others reach the caps on their abilities at lower levels. Once an item reaches the level of its most powerful ability, stop adjusting treasure for that item. At that point, the scaling item is considered fully “paid for.”

Mismatched Levels

If a PC receives a scaling item of a caster level lower than her character level, she effectively receives an item that’s worth more than the price listed in the stat block. Reference Table: Value of Scaling Items and use the PC’s level to estimate how much the item is really worth to that PC, and use that purchase price as its treasure value. Giving an item with a caster level higher than the character’s level doesn’t present the same problems; it just means the PC won’t be unlocking the item’s higher-level powers for some time. Don’t reduce treasure for such an item until the PC’s level exceeds the item’s caster level.

Buying and Selling Scaling Items

Selling a scaling item presents a tricky balance proposition. Such an item is worth more to a higher-level buyer, and a high-level seller has spent more effective wealth acquiring and keeping the item. The maximum amount a PC can get for a scaling item is half the value (as normal for selling magic items) listed on Table: Value of Scaling Items for the item’s category and the PC’s current level. To get this amount, the PC must find a motivated buyer of her level or higher, which may involve considerable time and effort. If the PC must sell in a hurry, she might get 25% of the listed value, or even less. A PC can’t sell a scaling item for more than 50% of the item’s value for her current level, even if she sells it to a higher-level NPC.

Crafting Scaling Items

Scaling items must be crafted at their highest level of power, with a cost determined by referencing Table: Value of Scaling Items. Start with the value listed on the table for the item’s category and its highest-level ability. Divide this by 2 to get the crafting cost, and add the value of any non-magical armor or weapon component. The crafting cost is always much higher than the market price of a scaling item, since the crafting cost is based on the full set of abilities but the market price is based on the minimum caster level. When a PC crafts a scaling item, he doesn’t need to pay any further cost in reduced treasure for keeping the item, because the full value of the item has already been accounted for. When setting the DC for crafting a scaling item, use the item’s highest-level ability instead of its base caster level.

Pricing New Scaling Items

To determine the price when creating a new scaling item, determine the cost of the base item without any of the level-based upgrades, and increase that price based on each additional ability as described below.

Pricing the Base Item: First, decide whether the new item is a wonder (best for major items), a prize (best for utility items), or a bauble (suitable for items that are interesting but not significant). Price the base item according to the normal rules for creating magic items. Then, using the column on Table: Value of Scaling Items that corresponds to the item’s category, find the lowest gp value that includes that initial price. Use that value to determine the item’s starting caster level.

Adding Scaling Abilities: Use the following steps to assign additional abilities and spells, and the levels at which those abilities unlock.

Adding Unlockable Abilities: Determine the first unlockable ability or increase in power. Price the item again, using the new ability plus all the abilities of the base item; you will use this price to determine the level at which the ability unlocks (see below). However, because many scaling items have a large range of limited-use abilities, following the standard rules can result in items that are too expensive for their actual utility. Therefore, on worn items, you should typically waive the 50% increase in price for an additional power unless it’s a particularly useful ability or has a strong synergy with the item’s other abilities. For instance, if you create a set of gloves with a burning hands effect, you wouldn’t need to pay the extra cost for a higher-level ability that grants you fire resistance, but you would for an ability that grants fire resistance to all allies within 10 feet of you since that ability complements burning hands so well.

Adding Spells: Assign a price for any spells the item allows its owner to use. Table: Spell Prices includes the typical prices of one daily use of spells at different caster levels. Because the price of spells varies based on the item’s caster level, it’s usually best to price other abilities first, then estimate the finished caster level, then price the spell at that caster level. If a spell doesn’t improve significantly at higher caster levels, price it using the item’s minimum caster level. If the spell becomes more powerful with level increases (as does fireball), use the caster level of the level at which it’s unlocked to determine its price. Cap a spell’s caster level at the highest level that makes a significant difference, such as 10th level for fireball. Generally, if only the spell’s duration changes with caster level, spells with a duration of 1 minute per level or 1 round per level should use the full caster level, but those with longer durations (10 minutes per level or more) should use the minimum caster level. Remember to readjust the price at each further power unlock level, since the caster level of the item will match the owner’s level. On a worn item, waive the standard 50% price increase on the additional spells.

Table: Spell Prices (One Use per Day)

CL

Spell Level

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1st

180 gp

360 gp

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2nd

360 gp

720 gp

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

3rd

540 gp

1,080 gp

2,160 gp

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

4th

720 gp

1,440 gp

2,880 gp

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

5th

900 gp

1,800 gp

3,600 gp

5,400 gp

—

—

—

—

—

—

6th

1,080 gp

2,160 gp

4,320 gp

6,480 gp

—

—

—

—

—

—

7th

1,260 gp

2,520 gp

5,040 gp

7,560 gp

10,080 gp

—

—

—

—

—

8th

1,440 gp

2,880 gp

5,760 gp

8,640 gp

11,520 gp

—

—

—

—

—

9th

1,620 gp

3,240 gp

6,480 gp

9,720 gp

12,960 gp

16,200 gp

—

—

—

—

10th

1,800 gp

3,600 gp

7,200 gp

10,800 gp

14,400 gp

18,000 gp

—

—

—

—

11th

1,980 gp

3,960 gp

7,920 gp

11,880 gp

15,840 gp

19,800 gp

23,760 gp

—

—

—

12th

2,160 gp

4,320 gp

8,640 gp

12,960 gp

17,280 gp

21,600 gp

25,920 gp

—

—

—

13th

2,340 gp

4,680 gp

9,360 gp

14,040 gp

18,720 gp

23,400 gp

28,080 gp

32,760 gp

—

—

14th

2,520 gp

5,040 gp

10,080 gp

15,120 gp

20,160 gp

25,200 gp

30,240 gp

35,280 gp

—

—

15th

2,700 gp

5,400 gp

10,800 gp

16,200 gp

21,600 gp

27,000 gp

32,400 gp

37,800 gp

43,200 gp

—

16th

2,880 gp

5,760 gp

11,520 gp

17,280 gp

23,040 gp

28,800 gp

34,560 gp

40,320 gp

46,080 gp

—

17th

3,060 gp

6,120 gp

12,240 gp

18,360 gp

24,480 gp

30,600 gp

36,720 gp

42,840 gp

48,960 gp

55,080 gp

18th

3,240 gp

6,480 gp

12,960 gp

19,440 gp

25,920 gp

32,400 gp

38,880 gp

45,360 gp

51,840 gp

58,320 gp

19th

3,420 gp

6,840 gp

13,680 gp

20,520 gp

27,360 gp

34,200 gp

41,040 gp

47,880 gp

54,720 gp

61,560 gp

20th

3,600 gp

7,200 gp

14,400 gp

21,600 gp

28,800 gp

36,000 gp

43,200 gp

50,400 gp

57,600 gp

64,800 gp

Assigning an Unlock Level: Now that you have a cost for the next scaling ability, assign a level at which that ability unlocks. This follows the same process as the Pricing the Base Item step, but using the new cost. You should usually round down, but if you’re almost at the higher-level price, bump up the level. For example, a prize that priced out at 8,000 gp at a given set of powers would unlock those powers at 9th level (6,900 gp), but if the price hits 9,000 gp, the abilities should instead unlock at 10th level (9,300 gp).

Completing the Item: Repeat this process for each set of new powers. Try to add a new unlockable ability every 2 to 4 levels. It’s not necessary to scale every item all the way to 20th level, however—stop when the set of abilities feels complete.

Scaling Items

The following scaling items include several examples of wonders, prizes, and baubles.

Standalone Scaling Items

A GM can include specific scaling items as individual pieces of treasure even if she isn’t using the scaling items system in her game. The base item can be used without any of the higher-level upgrades, or the GM can pick a higher level and create an individual item that has the base abilities plus one or more unlocked levels. She should use the standard price for that level of scaling item, as described on Table: Value of Scaling Items.

For example, a GM could give out a spear of the huntmaster as a CL 6th item worth 3,202 gp with just the base abilities, a CL 8th item worth 4,950 gp with the base abilities plus the 8th-level unlockable ability, a CL 10th item worth 9,300 gp with the base abilities plus the 8th- and 10th-level unlockable abilities, and so on.

Specific Armor and Shields

The following section includes armor and shields with unusual powers and magical abilities. Magic armor can have abilities that need to be activated to function or powers that work passively and constantly.

Armageddon Plate

A suit of armageddon plate acts as +1 full plate for nearly any wearer—it automatically resizes when donned to fit wearers of size Small to Large. The armor is blackened, with joints and helm in a style reminiscent of the legendary tarrasque.

8th Level: Armageddon plate retaliates against melee attackers when its fortification ability triggers. When an attacker strikes the wearer with a melee weapon and the armor negates a critical hit or sneak attack, the power of the armor leaves the attacker shaken for 1d4 rounds (Will DC 16 negates). This is a mind-affectingfear effect, and can stack with itself to make an attacker frightened or panicked.

20th Level: Armageddon plate is +2 heavy fortification adamantine full plate of determination and invulnerability. Once per day, the wearer can lengthen the spines of the armor and release a volley of six spines as a full-attack action, all at the wearer’s highest base attack bonus with a range increment of 120 feet. Each spine that hits deals 2d10 damage + the wearer’s Strength bonus. If the spines attack multiple targets, all targets must be within 30 feet of each other. Once per day, the wearer can change her base land speed to 150 feet for 1 round as a free action. If she chooses to do so, she does not apply any other modifications that increase her movement speed for that round.

Armor of the Celestial Host

This bright, silver-and-gold +1 chainmail is so fine and light that it can be worn under normal clothing without betraying its presence. It has a maximum Dexterity bonus of +5, an armor check penalty of –2, and an arcane spell failure chance of 15%. It is considered light armor.

Dragonshield

This +1 heavy wooden shield is covered in stretched dragonhide and reinforced with petrified plates carved from a dragon’s thickest scales. A dragonshield’senhancement bonus to AC increases by 1 against any creature with the dragon type, or by 2 against a dragon of the specific type used in the creation of the dragonshield. The enhancement bonus also applies on saving throws against dragons‘ breath weapons. If the wielder succeeds at a saving throw against a dragon’s breath weapon, she takes no damage.

12th Level: The shield gains the bolstering shield special ability. The saving throw bonus granted by this ability is increased by 1 against creatures of the dragon type and by 2 against dragons of the same type as the shield’s dragonhide.

Legacy Arrow

This ornately carved arrow always survives being fired. By concentrating as a standard action, the last person to shoot the arrow can sense the direction in which it lies, up to a distance of 1 mile. This effect fades 24 hours after firing. Initially, a legacy arrow acts merely as a masterwork arrow, but it always retains its ability to survive and be recovered after use. Legacy arrows can be found as other sorts of ammunition, including bolts, shuriken, sling bullets, and even firearm bullets.

6th Level: The arrow has the distance special ability, normally not available to ammunition. When fired, it loses this weapon special ability and any gained at higher levels for 1 day.

11th Level: When fired, the arrow regains its special abilities after 10 minutes instead of 1 day.

14th Level: Once per day as a standard action, the arrow’s wielder can designate it as a bane arrow for a category of her choice. It retains its current bane properties until they are changed. The arrow still takes 10 minutes to regain the use of bane, as usual.

16th Level: The arrow retains its bane, distance, and seeking special abilities after being fired.

18th Level: Once per week, the wielder can take a standard action to fire the arrow, giving it the properties of a greater slaying arrow (keyed to the same category as its bane ability) in addition to its other special abilities. After being fired, the arrow loses all special abilities for 1 week.

20th Level: The greater slaying ability can be used once per day (after which the arrow loses all special abilities for 1 day) rather than once per week. The arrow overcomes damage reduction as though adamantine.

Multimetal Mace

This +1 light mace has bands of several different metals around its hilt, each band one inch thick. Once per day, the mace’s owner can transform the mace into a different metal as a standard action. The multimetal mace remains that type of metal until transformed again. To begin with, it can transform to silver or back to steel. It retains all magical abilities when it transforms, along with any ongoing spells and effects currently affecting it.

10th Level: A wielder with the quarry class feature can use the spear to use locate creature once per day to find his quarry. If his quarry is within range, the amber spearhead glows brightly when pointed in the proper direction.

19th Level: On a successful critical hit against an opponent with blood, the thirsting blade’s wielder recovers 2 hit points. This ability functions only for the first wielder each day to score a critical hit with the thirsting blade. The wielder can recover a number of hit points in this way each day up to that wielder’s normal maximum hit points. On a successful critical hit against an opponent with blood, that opponent is flat-footed against the wielder’s attacks with the thirsting blade as long as it continues to take the bleed damage from the critical hit.

Fivefold Rings of Fire

These five golden rings are each set with a fire opal and are linked together by thin golden chains (making them take up only a single ring item slot). The wearer can release up to five scorching rays each day, one from each of the five rings. She can release one ray as a standard action or two rays (from two different rings) as a full-round action.

12th Level: Each day, the wearer can ignore up to 40 points of fire damage as if using protection from energy. This fire damage is absorbed into the fivefold rings of fire; when this happens, if the wearer has already expended one or more of her scorching rays for the day, she can recharge one of the rings for every 20 points of fire damage she absorbs.

14th Level: In place of a scorching ray, the wearer can choose to create a flaming sphere. The effect takes the form of hollow rings of flame instead of a sphere, but otherwise functions as the spell.

16th Level: The amount of fire damage the wearer can absorb each day increases to 100 points.

17th Level: The ring grants fire resistance 30. The wearer increases her land speed by 5 feet. Once per day, the ring’s wearer can make a primary bite attack as a swift action. If she does not already possess a bite attack, her teeth elongate into draconic fangs as part of the swift action, granting a bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage for a Medium wearer (1d4 for a Small wearer).

17th Level: The ring grants acid resistance 30. The wearer gains the ability to breathe underwater. Once per day, the ring’s wearer can make a primary bite attack as a swift action. If she does not possess a bite attack, her teeth elongate into draconic fangs as part of the swift action, granting a bite attack that deals 1d6 damage for a Medium wearer (1d4 for a Small wearer).

17th Level: The ring grants cold resistance 30. The wearer can see perfectly in snowy conditions, and does not take any penalties on Perception checks while in snow. Once per day, the ring’s wearer can make a primary bite attack as a swift action. If she does not possess a bite attack, her teeth elongate into draconic fangs as part of the swift action, granting a bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage for a Medium wearer (1d4 for a Small wearer).

20th Level: The ring’s wearer can transform into a frost drake once per day. This functions as transforming into a white dragon via form of the dragon II, except that the wearer’s cold breath weapon affects a 10-foot-radius spread within 60 feet of her. All surfaces within the spread are coated with slippery ice that turns the area into difficult terrain for 2d4 rounds.

17th Level: The ring grants electricity resistance 30. The wearer gains the ability to breathe underwater. Once per day, the ring’s wearer can make a primary bite attack as a swift action. If she does not already possess a bite attack, her teeth elongate into draconic fangs as part of the swift action, granting a bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage for a Medium wearer (1d4 for a Small wearer).

20th Level: The ring’s wearer can transform into a sea drake once per day. This functions as transforming into a blue dragon via form of the dragon II, except that the wearer’s electricity breath weapon targets one creature within 100 feet of her, then arcs to up to seven secondary targets within 20 feet of the primary target. The secondary bolts each strike one target and deal as much damage as the primary bolt.

Ring of the Trickster

This five-piece puzzle ring must be properly assembled before it can be placed on a finger. Once per day as a move action, the wearer can create a single mirror image as if using the Trickery domain’s copycat power. If the wearer is a cleric with the Trickery domain and the copycat power, she instead gains two additional uses of that ability.

8th Level: By spending 1 full round reconfiguring the ring’s puzzle, the wearer can find a way to solve the puzzle with four of the pieces while twisting the final piece into a tiny shape that grows into another simple object. Treat the result as if the wearer had reconfigured a traveler’s any-tool, except that the resulting object additionally grants a +2 competence bonus on a skill check of the wearer’s choice that could conceivably involve the object. As long as she does not lose the object, the wearer can return the fifth piece to the ring by spending another full round. The wearer cannot use any of the ring’s creation powers without all five pieces.

10th Level: By spending 1 minute reconfiguring the ring’s puzzle, the wearer can find a way to solve the puzzle with four of the pieces while twisting the final piece into a tiny shape that grows into a new object as minor creation, except that the wearer uses Disable Device rather than Craft to create a complex object. The fifth piece of the ring mysteriously reappears 24 hours after the new object vanishes. The wearer cannot use any of the ring’s creation powers without all five pieces.

12th Level: By spending 10 minutes reconfiguring the ring’s puzzle, the wearer can find a way to solve the puzzle with four of the pieces while twisting the final piece into a tiny shape that grows into a new object as major creation, except that the wearer uses Disable Device rather than Craft to create a complex object. The fifth piece mysteriously reappears 24 hours after the new object vanishes. The wearer cannot use any of the ring’s creation powers without all five pieces.

Mimetic Rod

The smooth surface of this rod is polished to a mirror sheen. Two cabochons—one amber and one viridian—set into the ends of the rod control its functions. A creature can press the viridian stone and roll the rod across a piece of writing on a flat surface to copy that writing into the rod, leaving the original text intact. By pressing the amber cabochon and rolling the rod across a different flat surface, a creature can replicate the original text. The text remains stored in the rod until the viridian stone is pressed again. The rod can copy a text the size of its surface area: 10 inches by 12 inches. Spellbook pages can be copied into a mimetic rod, but this is only useful for saving the text to transcribe later; the caster must still pay the full price for copying the spell into a spellbook. The rod can’t copy traps that use magical writing, such as explosive runes, but attempting to do so doesn’t trigger the trap unless the movement of the magic item over the text would normally trigger it.

9th Level: The rod can be used to copy faces. It must first be waved in front of either a person’s actual face or a high-quality reproduction while the wielder presses the viridian cabochon. The stored face can then be replicated over someone else’s face as though they’d been affected by disguise self (though this can change only the face—not height, weight, or other features). This effect lasts for 10 minutes per character level possessed by the person activating the rod (to a maximum of 140 minutes). The rod can store only one face at a time, and can’t store a face while it’s storing text.

11th Level: If the rod’s user speaks the name of a language, the rod automatically translates any text stored in it to that language. When that text is reproduced, it comes out in the language it has been translated to. A piece of text can be translated any number of times while stored in the rod.

14th Level: The rod can copy and reproduce magical traps that rely on text, including symbols. The rod’s user must succeed at a caster level check (caster level 14th) with a DC equal to 11 + the targeted spell’s caster level to do so. If she succeeds, the trap is stored harmlessly in the rod and can be replicated just as text would. Unlike with normal text, the spell is erased from inside the rod when it’s replicated. The size of the rod’s surface area doesn’t limit the size of magical trap text it can copy. When the rod reproduces the magical writing, any decisions made by the original caster are unchanged. The rod’s wielder can also press the viridian cabochon to harmlessly extinguish the spell instead of reproducing it.

Rod of the Deadlord

This baton and the small skull that tops it are both made of blackened adamantine. The rod can be wielded as a +1 conductive light mace. At the wielder’s command, it transforms into a morningstar, heavy mace, flail, or heavy flail. It returns to its normal shape if left unattended for 1 round. Commanders of undead legions often wield such rods as symbols of authority. Changing the weapon’s type can be used to signal a change in strategy for the undead horde, with the mace indicating a steady march, the morningstarcalling for an aggressive assault, a flail indicating a retreat, and so on.

15th Level: If the wielder confirms a critical hit, instead of gaining a temporary negative level the target gains a permanent negative level with no saving throw. Each day thereafter, the target must succeed at a Fortitude save (using the same DC as the 13th-level unlockable ability) or acquire another negative level. This is a curse effect that continues until removed (DC 23) or until the target dies. A target slain by this curse cannot be revived from death until the curse is removed.

17th Level: The rod’s enhancement bonus increases to +3. Once per day, the rod’s owner can tap the rod on the ground as a standard action to duplicate the effects of animate dead. The total HD of undead the owner can control in this way is equal to her level. If she controls other undead from castings of animate dead, she uses only the highest maximum she can control—the values do not stack. She ceases to control undead created by the rod if the rod leaves her possession.

Scaling Staves

A staff is a long shaft that stores several spells. Staves usually hold spells grouped by a theme and sometimes possess other abilities that they grant to the wielder. A staff has 10 charges when created but can be recharged by a spellcaster with the appropriate spells.

Staff of the Pyre Lord

This staff is carved entirely of polished obsidian inset with rubies. Flickering flames seem to dance across its surface. As the wielder goes up in level, the illusory flames grow larger and change in color, starting out a faint yellow and eventually becoming a deep blue. This staff allows the use of the following spells.

Staff of Ways

This wooden staff is carved with intricate patterns of waves, wind, trails, and vines. As the wielder goes up in level, the patterns begin to move, slowly at first, but gradually increasing in speed and magnitude. At the highest levels, the staff appears to be filled with a twisting and complex nature scene, with forking paths and raging tsunamis. This staff allows the use of the following spells.

14th Level: The staff allows the use of fly for 2 charges. The cost of spider climb decreases to 1 charge.

16th Level: The staff grants its owner a permanent +10-foot enhancement bonus to her base movement speed, a swim speed of 10 feet, and a climb speed of 10 feet. The staff can no longer be used to cast longstrider or monkey fish. The staff allows the use of freedom of movement for 2 charges and water breathing for 3 charges. The cost of fly decreases to 1 charge.

20th Level: The staff grants its owner a fly speed of 30 feet (poor maneuverability). Find the path now costs 2 charges, and freedom of movement costs only 1 charge. If the staff’s wielder breaks the staff in two as a full-round action, she can transport herself and up to 19 allies to a safe location she knows extremely well. This ability ignores local conditions as if it were the transport travelers effect of a wish.

Scaling Wondrous Items

Wondrous items are diverse. Some must be worn in a specific magic item slot in order to work, while others must merely be possessed and used. “Wondrous item” is a catchall category for anything that doesn’t fall into other groups, such as weapons, staves, and so on. Anyone can use a wondrous item, unless the item specifies otherwise.

There are two main categories of wondrous items: slotted and slotless. Slotted items take up a magic item slot, and must be worn by those who want to benefit from them.

7th Level: The cloak allows its wearer to move at half speed among spider webs without any chance of being trapped by them.

10th Level: The wearer is treated as if constantly under the effects of a spider climb spell.

12th Level: The wearer cannot be entrapped by web spells or webs of any sort, and can climb along webs like a spider, moving at her full climb speed.

14th Level: Normal spiders, including spider swarms and unusually large spiders, will not attack the cloak’s wearer unless she attacks them first or they are instructed to do so by some other creature, such as through a use of vermin empathy or a spell. The cloak’s wearer can summon forth a swarm of spiders once per day as the spell summon swarm.

17th Level: The cloak’s wearer can summon a swarm of spiders at will, instead of once per day. When she changes into the form of a spider, she can change into the form of a Tiny, Small, Medium, or Large spider as vermin shape II.

Bag of Endless Holding

This appears to be a common cloth sack about 2 feet by 4 feet in size. However, it opens into a nondimensional space far larger than its outside dimensions. It acts as a bag of holding (type I), but retrieving an item from the bag does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

12th Level: The bag’s capacity and weight increase as a bag of holding (type II).

14th Level: The bag’s capacity and weight increase as a bag of holding (type III).

15th Level: The bag’s capacity and weight increase as a bag of holding (type IV).

10th Level: The wearer can grasp the edges of the cloak to fly (as the fly spell) for up to 7 minutes three times per day, but only in dim light or lower. After each use of this ability, the wearer must wait for at least as long as the fly effect lasted until using this ability again.

12th Level: For each daily use of fly, the wearer can instead choose to transform into an ordinary bat as beast shape III for the same duration.

14th Level: The wearer can use fly or beast shape III any number of times per day, but is still subject to the dim light restriction and the limit on using the ability again after a previous use.

Beaker of Plentiful Poisons

This flared and stoppered flask of tempered glass can store up to 5 doses of poison, all of which can be different types. The owner can craft up to 5 doses of poison simultaneously using the beaker. She must still attempt separate Craft (alchemy) checks for each dose of poison to ensure successful crafting, but she can make progress on all five poisons simultaneously (making checks for the week’s or day’s progress at the same time).

The user can also add already-completed doses of poison to the beaker. All poisons remain separate and unmixed as long as they remain within the beaker, and the user can decant any of the poisons (including incomplete poisons) by naming the poison she wishes to pour forth.

9th Level: When crafting a poison within the beaker, the crafter uses the poison’s gp value instead of its sp value when determining her progress.

11th Level: Once per day, the owner of a beaker of plentiful poisons can produce 1 additional dose of any completed poison stored in the flask. The additional dose loses its efficacy 1 minute after being decanted. The market price of the duplicated poison can’t exceed an amount equal to 20 gp × the beaker’s caster level; any unused value is lost. A creature must have had the beaker of plentiful poisons in its possession for at least 24 hours to create poisons in this way.

13th Level: The beaker can create 2 doses of poison per day, with a total market price up to 40 gp × the beaker’s caster level.

15th Level: The beaker can create 3 doses of poison per day, with a total market price of up to 60 gp × the beaker’s caster level.

Boots of Readiness

These tight-fitting, black leather boots make their wearer more prepared before she acts in battle. When the wearer has not yet acted at the beginning of a fight, the boots provide a +2 luck bonus on saving throws and 12 temporary hit points. Both effects fade when the wearer’s first turn arrives, even if she delays.

13th Level: Before the wearer has taken her first turn in combat, she can move up to her speed as an immediate action without provoking attacks of opportunity. She can no longer use this ability once her first turn arrives, even if she delays.

Boots of the Elven Spirit

These elegant, lightweight boots are durable yet soft in texture, being partially made of living leaves and other natural materials. They grant the wearer a +5 competence bonus on Acrobatics checks and allow her to treat the first square of difficult terrain she enters each round as if it weren’t difficult terrain.

14th Level: The boots grant the wearer a +10-foot enhancement bonus to her base movement speed, and she leaves no tracks.

17th Level: The boots allow the wearer to walk so lightly that she doesn’t trigger pressure plate traps and can walk across any surface—including water, but not air—as long as she ends her movement each round on a surface that can support her weight.

20th Level: The boots allow the wearer to gain the effects of haste for 10 rounds per day, as boots of speed. If the wearer also wears the cloak of the elven spirit, the boots grant her the ability to use tree stride as the spell, entering up to 20 trees each day.

Bracelets of the Fey Touch

These bracelets are crafted from thin yet surprisingly durable silver, and they glitter and sparkle faintly in moonlight or shadow. The wearer can activate the bracelets once per day as a free action to gain a +4 competence bonus on a Bluff or Stealth check.

6th Level: The wearer can activate the bracelets to increase the DC of the next enchantment spell she casts by 1 instead of gaining a bonus on a skill check.

8th Level: The bracelets can be used twice per day, but no more than once per hour.

Brutish Boots

These coarse, heavy boots are fitted with numerous iron plates and rusted spikes that give them an intimidating appearance. The wearer can use brutish boots to attack as if using a masterwork cold irongauntlet or masterwork cold iron spiked gauntlet, depending on which portion of the boot he uses. These boots also protect the wearer’s feet as if they had hardness 8. This hardness applies only against effects that directly affect the target’s feet, such as caltrops, spike growth, spike stones, or stepping into a puddle of acid. It also applies against effects that deal damage to an attacker, such as fire shield, thorn body, or the barbed defense of a barbed devil, but only if the wearer is using the brutish boots to make the attack.

Cloak of the Elven Spirit

When this plain gray cloak is worn with the hood drawn up around the head, the wearer gains a +5 competence bonus on Stealth checks. If the wearer spends at least 1 minute concentrating on blending the cloak’s colors to match her surroundings, she can attempt Stealth checks without cover or concealment until she makes an attack or moves more than half her base speed on her turn. Once she breaks this effect, she must spend another minute to reactivate it.

14th Level: The cloak grants its wearer the camouflageranger ability in forested areas.

20th Level: If the wearer also wears the boots of the elven spirit, she can focus the cloak’s invisibility effect. As a free action, she can choose to make it so her attacks do not end the invisibility effect for 1 round. She can use this ability for 10 rounds per day, but the rounds need not be consecutive.

Crystal Tiara

This elaborate tiara looks as though it’s made of intricately carved ice adorned with small, crystalline gemstones. Despite the item’s fragile appearance, it has hardness 12 and 10 hit points. Its wearer gains the constant effects of endure elements against cold conditions only.

7th Level: As a standard action, the wearer can launch an icicle at a foe within 30 feet as a ranged attack. On a hit, the icicle deals 1d6 points of piercing damage and 1d6 points of cold damage. In addition, the wearer can walk across icy ground without slipping.

10th Level: As part of her move action, the wearer can step into the air, creating crystalline stairs beneath her feat, adding new steps in whichever direction she travels. These steps melt away behind her. If others try to climb the steps, they crumble away, leaving only the portions beneath the wearer’s feet intact. This otherwise acts as the air walk spell. She can use this ability each day for 10 minutes per level, divided any way she chooses in 10-minute intervals.

16th Level: The wearer can use the tiara to call up a tower of ice, as an instant fortress (except that the tiara does not transform into the tower, the tower takes 1 minute to rise instead of 1 round, the walls of the tower have only hardness 12, and damage to the tower does not carry over between multiple uses of this ability).

18th Level: When the wearer calls forth a tower of ice, if there is enough open space, she can choose to call forth a small palace instead, 100 feet square at the base with 20-foot-high rooms, with a central tower 20 feet square and 100 feet high. At will, she can spend 5 rounds to transform into a flurry of snowflakes that can move at incredible speed. Treat this as wind walk except she gains vulnerability to fire. It normally takes 5 rounds to transform back into her normal shape. However, she can revert to her original form early as a standard action. If she does so, she cannot transform into snowflakes again for 24 hours. When she uses the tiara to summonice elementals, she can choose to summon 1d4+1 Medium ice elementals, 1d3 Large ice elementals, or one Huge ice elemental as summon monster VI.

Eternal Feather Token

This small, colorful feather waves gently as if blown by a constant breeze. As a standard action, the feather’s owner can change its form into another variety of feather token. Any owner can use an eternal feather token to duplicate the effects of an anchor feather token. Higher-level owners have additional options. The token remains transformed until its owner commands it to change again, or until it is activated in that form like a normal feather token. Once activated, the token reverts to the appearance of a normal feather of a dingy gray color. Over the next week, it slowly regains its color. A week after its last activation, it can be used again.

Filthy Rags

These ragged robes are threadbare and frayed, caked with dirt and grime. Through constant exposure to innocuous forms of disease, the wearer becomes inured to sickness and filth, gaining a +4 alchemical bonus on saving throws versus disease and effects that cause the nauseated or sickened condition. Filthy rags can be worn in conjunction with armor.

10th Level: The rags begin to crawl with insects and spiders, granting the wearer familiarity with the feeling of tiny creatures crawling over her body. After wearing the rags for 24 consecutive hours, the wearer gains a +2 circumstance bonus on saving throws against the distraction ability of swarms. Once per day, she can make the spiders in her rags swarm out and attack her foes, causing the rags to expel spiders as the spell vomit swarm.

11th Level: Wasps build a small hive somewhere in the rags’ interior. When the wearer uses vomit swarm, she can choose between spiders and wasps.

13th Level: The rags’ diseases become more communicable. Any living creature striking the wearer with a bite attack contracts filth fever. A successful DC 14 Fort negates the disease. Oozes and vermin are immune to this effect, as are creatures such as otyughs and rats that are at home in exceptional filth.

16th Level: Army ants build a colony within the rags, and the rags’ filth becomes utterly vile. The wearer can also choose army ants when using vomit swarm. Any biting creature that fails its saving throw against the rags’ filth fever becomes nauseated for 1d4 rounds, and even on a successful save, the creature is still sickened for 1 round.

Flask Of Reconcoction

This thin silver flask can hold a single ounce of liquid. If a potion of a 1st-level spell is poured into the flask, the flask’s interior analyzes and bonds to that potion. Once the potion is drunk, the flask begins to hiss and bubble, as strange liquids and reagents slowly mix within it. After 1 full week, the flask has produced a new potion of the same 1st-level spell at minimum caster level. If anyone drinks or empties the flask before the week is over, they gain no benefit, the nascent potion is lost, and the flask ceases concocting until it is filled with a new 1st-level potion. If a potion in the flask is poured out of the flask, rather than drunk directly from it, the flask does not reconcoct that potion.

6th Level: The flask takes only 1 day to reconcoct a 1st-level potion, rather than 1 week.

8th Level: The flask can reconcoct a potion of a 2nd-level spell, but it takes 1 week.

10th Level: The flask takes only 1 day to reconcoct a 2nd-level potion, rather than 1 week.

12th Level: The flask can reconcoct a potion of a 3rd-level spell, but it takes 1 week.

14th Level: The flask takes only 1 day to reconcoct a 3rd-level potion, rather than 1 week.

Force Bracers

These crystal-accented bracers are bound with metallic straps and a fine lacework of embedded wire. The wearer can cause the bracers to create a shield of force to protect him. Each bracer can create a shield for up to 10 total minutes per day. This duration must be used in 1-minute increments. If only one force bracer is used, it creates a buckler, light shield, or heavy shield of force. If the wearer activates both force bracers, the shield of force is the equivalent of a tower shield.

Regardless of which type of force shield is created, the shield is weightless and has only half the normal armor check penalty, but otherwise follows all of the normal rules for shield use and proficiency. The shield grants the corresponding shield bonus to AC. Because the shield is made of force, its bonus applies against incorporeal touch attacks.

10th Level: If the wearer has created a heavy shield of force, the wearer can expend 1 minute of the shield’s duration to make a single shield bash attack as if the shield had the bashing shield special ability, with an enhancement bonus on the attack roll equal to 1/4 the wearer’s Hit Dice (maximum +5).

12th Level: If the wearer has created a tower shield of force, the wearer can release the tower shield from his person and use it as a forceful hand with hit points equal to 1/2 the wearer’s hit points. The wearer gains none of the benefits of using a tower shield while the forceful hand exists. Each round of using the forceful hand consumes 1 minute of duration from each bracer.

10th Level: The wearer gains fire resistance 5, and her hands are immune to fire damage, so she can pick up hot objects or touch flames without being harmed. Weapons affected by heat metal or similar effects deal no damage to the wearer, and the wearer likewise ignores damage from effects like fire shield (hot flames version) that deal fire damage to a creature attacking in melee.

11th Level: The forgemaster’s gauntlets are +1 gauntlets.

12th Level: The wearer of the forgemaster’s gauntlets can heat objects she touches. She can use heat metal (DC 13) at will. If she’s targeting a metal object worn by a foe, she must succeed at a melee touch attack. If the targeted item is being held or wielded, the wearer of the forgemaster’s gauntlets must attempt a combat maneuver check as if she were attempting to sunder the item. This maneuver does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the wearer does not have the Improved Sunder feat.

Fruitful Sash

This colorful sash seems to be the sort normally worn by any common sailor or traveler, yet within its folds is a bountiful pocket. The wearer can reach into this hidden pocket and remove a piece of fruit a number of times per day equal to his character level. The type of fruit varies. One piece of fruit has enough nourishment and water to sustain one humanoid for 24 hours. After 24 hours, the fruit rots and cannot nourish anyone. Once removed from its wearer, the sash doesn’t produce fruit for anyone else for 24 hours. If redonned by its most recent wearer during that time, the sash resumes function normally (and the amount of fruit remaining within it isn’t reset).

6th Level: Consuming a fruit produced from the sash cures a creature of 1 point of damage as if it were a goodberry. A given creature can recover a maximum of 8 hit points in this way in a 24-hour period.

8th Level: Three times per day, the wearer can draw forth a large, ripe piece of healing fruit that explodes when thrown. This functions as a splash weapon, but cures a target it hits of 1d6 points of damage and cures each creature it splashes on of 1 point of damage. This counts against the total number of pieces of fruit the sash can produce per day.

Galvanic Gauntlets

These gloves are woven of a fine copper mesh and wire, and infuse the wearer’s hands with an electric charge. The wearer can use the galvanic gauntlets to make a melee touch attack dealing 1d6 points of electricity damage. She gains a +3 bonus on the attack if the target is wearing metal armor or is composed of metal.

9th Level: If the wearer uses her hands to make unarmed strikes (including when making a combat maneuver check to damage an opponent in a grapple), those attacks deal an additional 1d6 points of electricity damage on each hit, as if she were using a weapon with the shock weapon special ability.

11th Level: Any item held in the wearer’s hands gains a powerful static charge, and any creature attempting to disarm the wearer of an object she is holding (or to make a stealcombat maneuver against the gloves themselves) takes 1d6 points of electrical damage and must succeed at a DC 19 Fortitude save or be staggered for 1 round by the shock. This static charge does not harm items the wearer is holding.

13th Level: The shock ability of the gauntlets improves to the shocking burst weapon special ability.

15th Level: Once per day when the wearer hits a creature with the gauntlets’ touch attack, she can create electric arcs that strike nearby creatures. This functions as though the target of the attack had been the primary target of a chain lightning spell (Reflex DC 19 half), though the hit creature doesn’t take any additional damage.

Glorious Gorget

This gilded neckpiece is inlaid with sunstone and diamond and engraved with wreaths of laurel. The wearer possesses great eloquence and gravitas, gaining a +5 competence bonus on Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Perform (oratory) checks.

10th Level: The wearer’s speeches can fill her allies with purpose. As a full-round action, she can attempt a DC 20 Perform (oratory) check to affect all allies who can hear her with good hope for 1 round. If she fails the check, all allies who heard her ineloquent speech cannot benefit from this ability for 24 hours.

12th Level: The wearer can improve someone’s attitude up to three steps when using Diplomacy. When she uses Intimidate to influence someone, she can present herself as glorious and powerful without threatening them, causing the attempt to operate like a Diplomacy check to influence instead.

14th Level: When the wearer uses the gorget’s good hope ability, it lasts 1 additional round for every 10 by which her result exceeds the Perform (oratory) check DC. Once per day, she can extend the duration to the full duration of good hope.

Gloves Of Cloud Shaping

The wearer of these cloud-blue, cool-to-the-touch gloves can sculpt and shape creations of cloud and mist — both her own and those of others. The wearer can call upon the power of the gloves up to three times per day when creating a cloud of gas or mist with a spell, spell-like ability, supernatural ability, or magical item in order to make the area of effect shapeable. Alternatively, the wearer can use the gloves to disperse an existing cloud of gas or mist by touch, as if using dispel magic. If the effect is non-magical, it is automatically dispersed in a 20-foot-radius spread centered on the wearer.

12th Level: The wearer can disrupt a creature under the effects of gaseous form. To do so, she must succeed at a melee touch attack against the gaseous target. If the attack hits, the wearer can choose to either lock the gaseous creature in place as if using hold monster or disperse the target, dealing 5d6 points of damage and nauseating the target for 5 rounds. In either case, the target is also locked into its gaseous form and can’t resume solid form until the effect expires. A successful DC 17 Will saving throw negates this effect.

Heart Of The Elder Tree

This carved darkwood amulet resembles a human heart. As a move action while standing on earth, stone, or wood, its wearer can sprout woody, rootlike tendrils from his legs that anchor his feet to the ground. While so anchored, he gains a +4 bonus to his CMD against bull rush, drag, grapple, overrun, reposition, trip, and other combat maneuvers that would force him from his space, as well as on saving throws against effects that would force him from his space on a failed save. The roots fall away if the wearer moves from his space, even involuntarily.

11th Level: When anchored to the ground, the wearer’s roots interfere with adjacent foes. Foes adjacent to the wearer must succeed at a DC 13 Reflex save each round or be entangled by the roots as if by the spell entangle. If the wearer’s roots fall away due to movement, all entangled enemies are immediately released.

13th Level: When struck by a nonliving wooden or wooden-hafted weapon of Huge size or smaller, the wearer can lash back and affect that weapon with warp wood as an immediate action (Will DC 20 negates). This ability is usable three times per day.

15th Level: The wearer can make a secondary natural attack with his roots, dealing an amount of damage equal to 1d4 + 1/2 the user’s Strength bonus. At the beginning of the wearer’s turn, if he still possesses roots from a previous round, the secondary root attack gains 5 feet of reach. This increase stacks with itself to a maximum of triple the wearer’s natural reach, but it doesn’t stack with any other increases. The reach resets whenever the roots fall away.

20th Level: As long as the wearer’s roots are planted in the ground, he gains the effect of a ring of regeneration. When the roots fall away, it counts as removing the ring, so he only regenerates damage taken after planting the roots and before moving. As long as the wearer activates his roots for at least 8 hours each day, he does not need to sleep. The wearer’s +4 bonus on saving throws for planting his roots now also applies to paralysis, poison, polymorph effects, sleep effects, and stun.

Heroic Saddle

This elaborate military saddle is embellished with intricate tooling and a panoply of tassels, ribbons, and bells fit to announce a mighty hero’s marvelous return. A new tassel, ribbon, or bell appears on the saddle after each victory. Whenever the rider of a mount wearing a heroic saddle is targeted with a conjuration (healing) effect, that effect also affects the mount. Use the rider’s level to determine the scaling abilities of this item.

13th Level: The saddle’s bonuses on saving throws and to AC increase to +2.

15th Level: The saddle’s bonuses on saving throws and to AC increase to +3. When the rider commands the saddle to grant his mount temporary hit points, the rider also gains a number of temporary hit points equal to half the amount his mount gains.

Lantern Pendant

This small pendant of brass and glass is crafted in the shape of a lantern and continuously sheds light as a light spell. As a move action, the wearer can open the miniature lantern pendant and direct the tiny phantasmal fire within to float to any point within 110 feet. This functions as dancing lights, but the wearer can create a number of lights equal to 1/2 his character level, up to a maximum of four, and can create only torchlike lights, not glowing spheres or humanoid shapes. While the dancing lights are active, the light of the lantern pendant itself is extinguished.

6th Level: Once per day, the wearer can command the phantasmal fire to fly forth and limn all creatures in an area as faerie fire. Just as when using dancing lights, the pendant’s light is extinguished throughout the duration.

10th Level: Once per day, the wearer can focus the lantern’s power, causing its light to increase from the light spell to the daylight spell, with a duration as daylight. The daylight is suppressed whenever he activates any other ability that extinguishes the pendant’s light, but such time still counts against its duration.

13th Level: Once per day, the wearer can release the lantern’s lights in the form of wandering star motes (Will DC 16). During the duration, the pendant’s light is extinguished.

Mark Of The Grinning Skull

An ebony skull adorns this tarnished silver band. When the wearer successfully demoralizes a creature with an Intimidate check, the penalties for being shaken increase by 2 on checks and rolls involving the wearer. For example, attacks made against the wearer and saves against her spells would take a –4 penalty rather than a –2 penalty.

11th Level: Once per day, the wearer can attempt to frighten a creature with an Intimidate check instead of demoralizing it. She must declare she is doing so before attempting the Intimidate check. The penalty increase for checks and rolls involving the wearer also applies if the creature is frightened in this way.

Mask Of Mad Memories

This mask of malleable mithral can be attached to any helmet and worn in conjunction with it. The mask can be placed over the face of a helplesshumanoid or monstrous humanoid creature, living or dead, and activated with a command word. The mask absorbs the creature’s thoughts and memories and reshapes itself into the creature’s likeness—a process that takes 10 minutes. Anyone wearing the mask after it has been activated gains a +5 competence bonus on Knowledge checks, Charisma checks, and Charisma-based skill checks relating to the creature whose memories were absorbed, including checks made to impersonate that creature.

8th Level: The wearer can transform into the target creature’s shape, as disguise self. Additionally, 10 minutes after the command word is spoken, the mask can alter the target’s memories as well as absorb them, as modify memory (Will DC 17 negates).

10th Level: The creature speaking the command can substitute nightmare for modify memory, with the same DC. Additionally, the mask’s wearer can understand and read (but not speak) all languages the target creature knows.

12th Level: The mask’s wearer can also speak the languages the target creature knows. Additionally, she can attempt to pry the answers to specific questions from the absorbed memories once per day. Treat this as speak with dead if the target creature was dead, and otherwise as contact other plane to contact a creature from the Astral Plane with no chance of ability score decrease.

Necklace Of Infernos

This golden chain is strung with glowing red-golden spheres of various sizes. It does not count as an item worn around the neck for the purpose of determining which of a character’s worn magic items is effective. It acts as a necklace of fireballs (type I) with a 6d6 sphere instead of the 5d6 sphere. After a bead explodes, a tiny new sphere of the same type that exploded begins to bloom along the chain, growing in size and intensity over the course of 1 week, after which it is ready to detonate again.

Pearl Of Puissance

This seemingly normal pearl of average size and luster holds the secret to endless magical power. It acts as a pearl of power (1st level), and the user gains a +1 bonus to her caster level when she casts the spell from the slot she recalled with the pearl.

14th Level: The pearl acts as a pearl of power (5th level), but it grants the +1 caster level bonus only if used to recall a spell of 4th level or lower.

15th Level: The pearl acts as a pearl of power (6th level), but it grants the +1 caster level bonus only if used to recall a spell of 5th level or lower.

16th Level: The pearl acts as a pearl of power (7th level), but it grants the +1 caster level bonus only if used to recall a spell of 6th level or lower.

17th Level: The pearl acts as a pearl of power (8th level), but it grants the +1 caster level bonus only if used to recall a spell of 7th level or lower.

19th Level: The pearl acts as a pearl of power (9th level), but it grants the +1 caster level bonus only if used to recall a spell of 8th level or lower. Alternatively, the pearl can act as a pearl of power (two spells), but when used in this way, it doesn’t provide a caster level boost.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

Cost 51,375 gp; FeatsCraft Wondrous Item; Special creator must be able to cast 9th-level spells

Pouch of Pixie Dust

This delicate pouch contains sparkling dust of various iridescent colors. The owner can withdraw the dust and use it as an unlimited supply of normal colorful powder. She always withdraws powder of the color she desires.

4th Level: Once per day, the owner can imbue the pixie dust she draws from the pouch with fey power to reveal the unseen. This functions as faerie fire with a 1-minute duration, but she must throw the powder as a thrown weapon with a range increment of 10 feet against an AC of 5 to hit the correct grid intersection. On a miss, treat the dust as a splash weapon to determine the center of the effect.

6th Level: The owner can use the faerie fire ability three times per day.

10th Level: The owner can increase the power of the pixie dust once per day, producing a glitterdust effect (Will DC 13 negates the blindness) for 3 rounds. She must throw the powder as a thrown weapon with a range increment of 10 feet against an AC of 5 to hit the correct grid intersection. On a miss, treat the dust as a splash weapon to determine the center of the effect.

13th Level: The owner can use the glitterdust ability three times per day.

15th Level: The owner can sprinkle the pixie dust on herself or an adjacent willing target once per day, granting the target the ability to fly (as the fly spell) for 5 minutes.

18th Level: The owner can use the fly ability three times per day, and she can also throw the pixie dust to grant fly to a non-adjacent target. To hit a willing non-adjacent target with the pixie dust, she must throw the dust as a thrown weapon with a range increment of 10 feet and hit an AC of 5 + any modifiers that add to both the target’s flat-footed and touch AC, such as deflection bonuses and cover bonuses. On a miss, treat the dust as a splash weapon; if there are creatures in the resulting square, randomly determine which creature in that square is targeted by the fly effect.

8th Level: The mantle magnifies and sharpens the wearer’s beauty such that her +4 competence bonus now applies on all Charisma checks, Charisma-based skill checks, and Sense Motive checks against any creature. Against fey, the bonus increases to +6.

10th Level: The mantle’s wearer becomes manipulative and eloquent in social situations. Whenever she converses with creatures, she can insert a suggestion (Will DC 14 negates) for every 10 minutes of conversation by succeeding at a DC 14 Perform (oratory) check. If she ever fails the Perform (oratory) check to use this ability, all creatures who witnessed her misstep are immune to this ability for 24 hours.

12th Level: Once per day, the wearer can release the glow within the mantle in a single coruscating burst of color. This blinds creatures in a 10-foot radius (Reflex DC 19 negates) for 1d4 rounds and completely dispels any darkness spells of 6th level or lower whose source is within its area.

14th Level: The wearer grows a pair of gossamer wings. The wings are delicate and weak, carrying the wearer only with difficulty. She gains a fly speed of 30 feet (poor maneuverability).

16th Level: The wearer’s wings grow stronger, more agile, and more beautiful, and iridescent patterns trace along them. Her fly speed increases to 60 feet (good maneuverability), and she gains a +5 competence bonus on Fly checks.

18th Level: The wearer gains a small domain in the fey realm. She can access her domain from any location, creating a silvery gateway. Treat her domain as a mage’s magnificent mansion except that its size equals 20 10-foot cubes/level, the domain appears as wilderness instead of a mansion, and the servants are tiny fey instead of nearly transparent liveried servants.

20th Level: The wearer’s type changes to fey, and she gains DR 10/cold iron. If the wearer’s type was already fey and she already possessed DR/cold iron, her DR increases by 10 and magic weapons with enhancement bonuses of +3 or greater do not count as cold iron for the purpose of bypassing her DR.

Spectacles of Thought-Seeing

The wearer of these ornate crystal lenses gains a +6 competence bonus on Sense Motive checks. When she uses Sense Motive to determine whether someone is lying to her, she gets a brief flash of the liar’s thoughts at that instant.

9th Level: When the wearer concentrates, she can perceive the thoughts of a single creature as writing in the air, rendered in the subject’s native language. This functions as though the wearer had concentrated on the creature for 3 rounds using detect thoughts, and can be blocked with a successful Will save with a DC equal to the wearer’s character level + 6 (to a maximum DC of 20). A creature that succeeds at its save can’t be affected again for 24 hours. Maintaining concentration requires a standard action each round (as for a spell), and once the wearer ceases concentrating on a creature, she cannot observe thoughts again for 1 minute. This ability can be used for a total of 5 minutes per day. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but must be used in 1-minute increments. The glasses fail to function against creatures with an Intelligence score of 2 or lower or without a written language.

11th Level: The competence bonus on Sense Motive checks increases to +8. The detect thoughts effect can be used for 10 minutes per day. In addition to seeing the creature’s thoughts in its native language, the wearer gets visual impressions of the creature’s thoughts. She might see the face of someone the creature is thinking about, for instance, or see an image of that creature stabbing someone if it’s planning an attack.

13th Level: The competence bonus on Sense Motive checks increases to +10. The detect thoughts effect is constant—the wearer no longer needs to concentrate to maintain it, and there is no longer a limit on the number of rounds per day.

Star of Vision

When touched to an eye, this star-shaped gem affixes itself until willingly removed or pried from an unconscious wearer. On command, the wearer can share her vision of her surroundings with allies within 60 feet. This gives them the benefit of any special visual sense she has (such as darkvision or see invisibility) and even allows blind allies to see, assuming the wearer is not herself blind. This effect lasts for 1 minute, and once used, can’t be activated again for 30 minutes. While the effect is active, an ally of the wearer can switch back and forth at will between sharing the wearer’s vision and seeing through his own eyes.

12th Level: The shared senses effect lasts for 10 minutes. While sharing senses, the wearer automatically discovers the number and location of secret doors in a 60-foot cone in front of her, as though she had been studying the area for 2 rounds with detect secret doors. (This effect doesn’t grant any of the other benefits of detect secret doors.)

14th Level: While sharing senses, the wearer gains the benefit of see invisibility.

16th Level: Once per day, when the wearer activates the star of vision, she gains the benefit of true seeing for the duration of the effect.

Stargazer’s Glass

This spyglass grants enhanced vision of celestial bodies and the movements of the cosmos in the dark of night. Anyone looking through the spyglass gains a +5 competence bonus on skill checks to learn about the movements of the heavens or the constellations. These are typically Knowledge (nature) checks.

9th Level: Objects viewed through the spyglass are magnified to 4 times their size instead of 2 times their size. This ability functions at all times, not just at night.

11th Level: Looking through the spyglass also grants the viewer low-light vision at night, and objects viewed through the spyglass are magnified to 6 times their size.

13th Level: While outdoors at night and looking through the stargazer’s glass, the user can increase the range of a spell she casts of the pattern subschool or with the light descriptor as if using the Reach Spellmetamagic feat. She increases the spell’s range by one category—from touch to close range, close to medium range, or medium to long range—without increasing the spell’s level. This ability can be used once per night. Objects viewed through the spyglass are magnified to 8 times their size.

15th Level: The user can extend the range of the spell by two categories instead of one. Objects viewed through the spyglass are magnified to 10 times their size.

Strand of Many Prayer Beads

This item appears to be a simple string of prayer beads until the owner casts a divine spell while carrying the beads. Once that occurs, she learns how to activate one of the strand’s special beads—a bead of blessing—to cast bless once per day.

9th Level: The owner can also activate the strand’s bead of healing to cast cure serious wounds once per day.

Vest of Golden Leaves

This garment is lined with gilded leaves, magically preserved in their autumnal splendor. The leaves retain this natural appearance in urban areas or natural settings other than forests or wooded areas. When the wearer is in a forest environment, the vest’s leaves change to match the local flora. As long as the wearer moves no more than half her base speed in a given round, she gains a +4 bonus on Stealth checks and can attempt Stealth checks without cover or concealment. Each time the wearer attacks, the leaves turn blood red, negating this effect for 1 minute.

8th Level: Once per day, the wearer can detach one of the leaves of the garment and send it floating toward a location she specifies, borne on the wind but otherwise identical in effect to an animal messenger.

11th Level: Once per day, the wearer can either assume tree shape or transform herself into a cloud of leaves floating, falling, and swirling about in a mass the same size as the wearer’s actual body. This leaf form is equivalent to gaseous form, but the wearer also gains vulnerability to fire.

13th Level: The wearer can, in place of using either of the vest’s 11th-level abilities, choose to release a number of leaves equal to 1/2 her Hit Dice as remote magical sensors. These leaves are identical in effect to prying eyes, except that they have vulnerability to fire.

20th Level: The wearer can step into any tree that possesses leaves and out of another tree of the same kind that also possesses leaves, as tree stride. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to her Hit Dice.

Vest of Eldritch Preservation

Woven of aranea silk, this vest grants potent protection against spells that would warp the wearer’s mind or body. Its wearer gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against curses, enchantments, and transmutations.

11th Level: Once per day, the wearer can remove the shaken or sickened condition from himself or an ally with a touch. This is a standard action, or a swift action if he cures himself. In addition, the wearer can’t be compelled to keep a cursed item. This doesn’t prevent the cursed item’s effects, but does allow the wearer to freely discard the item.

13th Level: Once per day as an immediate action, the wearer can use break enchantment against an effect that has just taken hold of him, even if the effect causes him to lose consciousness or control of his actions. Only a single effect can be targeted by this use of break enchantment. This protection can be recharged by casting break enchantment on the vest.